Nightmare
by mysterymaiden7
Summary: When the Titans are forced to confront their deepest fears who will be left to stop Nightmare...?
1. Greatest Fears

Chapter 1  
  
"Titans! Trouble!" Robin's familiar voice broke crackled in their communicators. Raven and Star abandoned their meditation, exiting Raven's room and hurrying to the common room.  
  
"Man! It's like, two in the morning!" Beast Boy complained, "Don't you ever sleep?"  
  
"What's up?" Cyborg demanded, ignoring Beast Boy.  
  
"Robbery in progress." Robin told them, busily pressing buttons on the control panel of the main view screen, "At the City Bank."  
  
"The big one near the harbor? How'd they get in there? That place has more defenses than Raven's room!" Beast Boy added in. With a barely visible movement, Raven pinched him.  
  
"Ouch! Well you know it's true..." He grumbled, rubbing his arm.  
  
"We don't have time for this." Robin stood up and faced them, "Let's go Titans."  
  
Wordlessly, they all turned to follow.  
  
Raven flew out the window. Beast Boy changed to a winged dinosaur and picked up Cyborg, flapping out the window to follow Raven.  
  
"Star?" Robin set his hand on her shoulder, "You okay?"  
  
She turned to face him a small smile on her face, "I am worried. This mission gives me the... heebie-jeebies? Is that how it is said?"  
  
Robin nodded quietly. "I know. I just have this feeling. But we'll be fine if we stick together and look out for each other."  
  
Star nodded mutely. "I am sure you are right." She picked Robin up and flew out the window to join the others.  
  
OOOOO  
  
The Titans arrived at the bank to find everything... fine.  
  
"Where's the robbery?" Beast Boy asked, after he had set Cyborg down and returned to his form.  
  
"The alarms went off..." Robin muttered confused, "Maybe we should check just to be sure."  
  
He approached the entrance, reaching into his belt for one of the many gadgets stored there. He attached the small device directly to the security mainframe. The device whirred silently for a moment, then the small light on it changed from red to green.  
  
Robin let out a sigh and turned to motion the other Titans inside. Star hesitated for a moment before entering. Robin followed her inside.  
  
They cautiously crept into the main part of the bank.  
  
"Where's all the guards?" Cyborg whispered. A low moan interrupted any answer there might have been. Every Titan whipped around to face the direction the sound came from.  
  
"Can you give us some light Star?"  
  
Star summoned a glowing starbolt on her hand, holding it high so the light fell in the direction the moan had come from.  
  
"The guards-" Star whispered horrified, "What is wrong with them?"  
  
Every guard lay, huddled on the floor. Many of them screamed noiselessly, their voices broken from screaming so often. Their eyes were blank, sightless as they grappled with non-existent horrors. They were sweating, rolling around on the floor, moaning and whimpering to themselves.  
  
The light disappeared as Star caused the bolt to vanish, backing away from the guards.  
  
Raven eyed the shadows now concealing the guards, "Their minds are being controlled. That's why everything appears okay on the outside. There's no one to sound the alarm again now that it's been deactivated. Obviously they must think whatever they're seeing is real. We need to be careful."  
  
Robin nodded in agreement, "Right. Be careful everyone. Something is defiantly wrong here."  
  
Beast Boy changed to a wolf, his fur bristling. He whined once and began trotting along a corridor, sniffing busily.  
  
_This way._ He whisked his tail toward the main vault. _I can hear voices. But something smells weird... Metallic sorta'. I haven't smelled anything like it before.  
_  
Robin took a a deep breath. "Okay Titans. Me and Cyborg first. Then Raven and Star. Beast Boy brings up the rear. Try not to attract attention. I'll signal when to attack. If we're spotted-"  
  
A cry cut Robin off. "Boss! We got visitors!" A man appeared behind Star, grabbing her roughly, "There's more over here!"  
  
Star bit the man, causing him to cry out and release her. She backed up to join the other Titans who had risen to help her.  
  
"Looks like we'll have to do this the in-your-face-way Rob." Cyborg commented, powering up his cannon.  
  
"Titans! Go!" Robin launched himself at the nearest man, extending his staff as he jumped. Other men appeared out of the darkness, each going down under the Titans assaults.  
  
Raven levitated out of the fray, followed closely by Beast Boy, who had transformed himself into a bird. The other Titans battled their way to the entrance of the vault, leaving the men behind.  
  
"Cyborg! The door!" Robin yelled, jumping inside. Cyborg instantly grabbed the edge of the gigantic steel door and shoved it closed, locking the clamoring men out.  
  
_We're in the main vault._ Beast boy told them, _And that weird smell? It's stronger now.  
_  
Harsh, grating laughter rang through the vault. Lights flickered on overhead casting the room into a harsh brightness.  
  
"Good Titans. Although, I must admit, with your reputations I expected you quite some time ago."  
  
Squinting against the light, too bright after so much darkness, Robin made out a stooped form near the other end of the vault. He put his hand up to his eyes, bringing the figure into sharper focus.  
  
An old man stood there. His was thin as a skeleton, his skin sagging off his bones as if the couldn't quite hold it. He wore a gray suit, cut to his rather sharp profile. His nose was long and hooked, giving him the appearance of a hawk. He bent over a cane, the wood of it as gnarled and old as he was. A large black orb was held on the top, a swirling mass of black captured inside. But the thing that captured Robin's eye more than anything was his eyes. They were dark, almost black, and had no pupils that he could see.  
  
The man laughed again. His frail body shaking with the force. "Now Titans. Are you prepared? I know you've faced many monsters and villains in your time. And defeated them all I dare say. But are you really ready? That is the question."  
  
"You're speaking nonsense old man." Robin responded, slightly confused.  
  
"Am I?" The man responded, twirling his cane slightly, "Am I really? How can you be sure? Of anything really? What's reality and what's... illusion."  
  
"I'm getting sick of your riddles." Cyborg said angrily, "Tell us what you want!"  
  
"Isn't that the question of the hour. But what I want to know is this, what are you afraid of?" 


	2. Accidents Happen

Chapter 2  
  
"What is he talking about?" Beast Boy asked quizzically.  
  
"What are you afraid of? A simple question with so many answers... But enough of these games. Time to face your fears Titans."  
  
"You're right about one thing old man. This is enough." Cyborg launched himself at the man just as he held up his staff. A blast of black surged out of the staff and zapped through Cyborg. All of the Titans cried out in horror as Cyborg jolted as if struck by lightning. The black abruptly vanished inside his body, leaving Cyborg huddled on the floor.  
  
"What did you do to him?!" Robin demanded as Starfire flew down to kneel beside Cyborg.  
  
Tears glistened in her eyes when she saw him. His eyes were as blank as the guards' had been. A bead of sweat slid down his face and he began to shiver, muttering to himself. With a muffled sob, Star pulled herself away from Cyborg and faced the man.  
  
"Who are you?" She cried.  
  
"I am your worst fears come to life. But most would call me Nightmare."  
  
"What have you done to my friend?" She whispered.  
  
"Forced him to confront his deepest fears." Nightmare responded with relish, "It's quite ingenious actually. The energy your friend now has inside him activates a simple mix of emotions. It tricks your brain into believing what it is seeing is reality. Your deepest fears are unleashed, praying upon your own emotions, until... Well. That speaks for iteself."  
  
"You're a monster." Raven's voice broke through the stunned silence following Nightmare's pronouncement.  
  
"No, no my dear. Just a genius."  
  
OOOOO  
  
_The stadium is full to capacity. "Great job dude!" "Kick some butt!" The cheers of my teammates ring in my ears as we wait in the locker room.  
  
"What?" I look down to my hands. My human hands. I gasp in shock, standing to look at my reflection in a mirror. Human. Completely human. No metal. Me. Whole.  
_  
Was it all a dream? _I wonder in shock._ The accident? The Titans? It couldn't have been!  
  
_"He's messin' with my head!" I exclaim angrily, slamming my hand into a locker, "OUCH!" I cradle my hand against my chest, wincing at the pain.  
  
"Dude, you okay? You look kind of tense." A blond comes over and lays a restraining hand on my shoulder.  
_  
_"Yeah man, I'm fine."_ Jeremy. _The name comes unbidden to my mind._ How did I know-?  
  
_A burly man enters the locker room, "Alright team! This is the championship! No going back from here! We give it our all tonight! Agreed?"_ Coach. _I think before I even realize.  
_  
_"LET'S GO!" The whole team roars. Including me._ But how did I know what to say?  
  
_We head out of the locker room, the Coach puts a hand on my arm before I leave.  
  
"Bring your water bottle this time sport? Don't want you getting dehydrated during the big game."  
  
"I forgot it in the car." The explanation is out of my mouth before I have time to wonder where it came from.  
  
"Well..." The Coach looks at a watch on his meaty wrist, "You have a few minutes, run out and grab it."  
_  
_"But I don't-" The image of a car comes to mind. Red, license plate: YUG- 669, parked across the street. "No problem Coach..."  
_  
_"Good man!" He gives my shoulder a clap before releasing me.  
  
I head out to the car, my car, shaking my head._ Is this real? What's happening to me? Was all of that a dream? Was the accident a dream?  
  
_Unconsciously I pull a set of keys out of my pocket and unlock the car door. Leaning across the seat I snag the water bottle out of the cup holder._ Right where I always... keep it. _I shiver slightly._ What's happening to me?  
  
_I step away from the car, clutching the water bottle._ What's going on?! _The squeal of tires interrupts my thoughts. I look up to see a car hurtling toward me.  
_  
_"No! This isn't how it happened!" I cry instantly, watching in horror as it comes closer and closer until...  
_  
OOOOO  
  
Cyborg let out a guttural scream, curling himself into the fetal position. The scream went on and on, until finally Cyborg was silenced, a sound almost worse than the screaming.  
  
"What's happening to him!?" Star begged, dropping to her knees beside his still body.  
  
"His worst nightmare." 


	3. Anger Managment

Chapter 3  
  
"You're sick!" Beast Boy yelled.  
  
"Let him go!" Robin said at the same time.  
  
"But why should I when I'm having so much fun?" The old man laughed his hacking laugh once again.  
  
"That's enough." Raven levitated up off the floor, "Azarath Metrion Zintho- "  
  
The surge of black hit her before she finished. She dropped from the air like she'd been shot.  
  
"Raven!" Beast Boy caught her as she fell and set her gently on the floor.  
  
"Oh... Poor little birdie got her wings clipped."  
  
"No, no, no..." Shaking her head Starfire sank to the ground near Cyborg, "Why is this happening?"  
  
"I wonder what your little friends are thinking... Their most horrible nightmares come true... What are they most afraid of? What makes them scared?"  
  
OOOOO  
  
What? Where am I? What happened to Nightmare? _I sat up in bed, pushing the covers off._ Was it all just a dream?  
  
_"Titans! Trouble!"_ The communicator? But I thought-  
  
_"Friend Raven! We must go! Please awaken!"  
  
"Starfire?"_ But she was...  
  
_The door opened and Starfire hovered in, "Oh course it is I. But Raven, we have no time to introduce ourselves. Our assistance is needed."  
_  
Just nod Raven. Pretend your not going crazy. _Nodding I got out of bed, following Starfire down the corridor.  
_  
_"Where have you two been?" Robin demanded as we walk through the door.  
  
"What's the problem?"_ That's right Raven. Act like you're not a complete nut-job.  
  
_Cyborg called up a picture on the view screen. "A boat, off the coast. Sent out a distress signal about ten minutes ago. We figured, Coast Guard will handle it. The signal stopped about two minutes after. Way too fast for anyone to have gotten out there by then."  
  
"And the Coast Guard didn't send out any boats. So we need to check it out." Robin added, "We need a couple people up top, making sure the boat's all right. Star and Raven, you two take that. Me, Cyborg and Beast Boy will take the sub. Got it?"  
  
Nodding I took off after Starfire, following her to the site._ What is happening to me? Am I really going crazy? Was that a dream?  
  
_"This ship." Star pointed down to a crashed ship, grabbing her communicator, "Robin! We have located the ship. It-"  
  
I knock the communicator out of her hand. It falls down to land in the surf below._ I didn't mean to do that! What's wrong with me? I feel so angry!  
  
_"Raven! What-" A low laugh comes from somewhere deep inside me..._ What's happening?!  
  
_"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"  
  
Starfire screams as she's knocked out of the air and into the water, she doesn't come back up.  
_  
Starfire! _I try to scream, but no sound comes out. Nothing but laughter._ Stop it! What's happening to me?!  
  
_"Raven! Raven! What's going on!? Why isn't Star answering?!"  
  
"We're in trouble! Star's down, you guys have to get up here fast!"_ But I didn't want to say that! That's not me you guys! _My hands seem to move on their own as I strip off my communicator and let it fall into the waves._ Please don't surface. _I silently beg._ Please stay down there...  
  
_My silent pleas go unanswered as the sub emerges from the water._  
  
_"Azarath Metrion-"_ Please don't make me do this! _"Zinthos!"_  
  
_The sub begins to be consumed by black magic as it is lifted out of the water.  
  
"Raven! What are you doing?! Where's Starfire?!"  
  
Cruel laughter issues from my mouth. "Starfire is gone. Just like you will all soon be."  
  
"What are you talking about? What's wrong with you?!"  
  
The magic encloses the sub completely, cutting off their pleas. _**Weak. Too weak.** Who are you?! What are you doing to me?! **I am you Raven. I'm only doing what you want.** No! Please! Don't!  
  
_I watch helplessly as the sub is smashed into the rocks and destroyed. The lifeless bodies of my friends float away on the tide and slowly sink below the surface. Laughter, cold and cruel ring in my ears as I begin to scream, with no one to hear me.  
_  
OOOOO  
  
Raven's screams echoed in the Titans ears as she struggled against Beast Boy.  
  
"Come on Raven! Snap out of it! Please!"  
  
"She won't wake. Not now, not ever." 


	4. Sacrifice

Chapter 4  
  
Starfire cradled her head in her hands. Not looking up, not wanting to see the destruction Nightmare was wreaking on her friends.  
  
Raven was down, screaming soundlessly now, as Beast Boy cradled her in his arms. Robin seemed frozen, unable to do anything but watch as Nightmare laughed. Cyborg lay on his side near her. Eyes blank and deathly still.  
  
"Why are you doing this to us?" Star whispered, unable to think of anything else to say.  
  
"Why? There is no why. Because I can, may be a more appropriate answer. Because you stood in my way, yet another. There is no why."  
  
Star shivered, refusing to look up, to meet the soulless, demonic eyes she knew were watching her.  
  
"You monster!" Beast Boy stood, quivering with rage. "Do you even realize what you've done to them?!"  
  
"What doesn't kill you can only make you stronger!" Nightmare quoted gleefully, like a child reciting his favorite lines from a book.  
  
"This ends now!" With a growl, Beast Boy transformed into a bird, winging into the air. Nightmare laughed and leveled his staff at him.  
  
"Bye-bye birdie!"  
  
"No!" Robin leaped, shoving Beast Boy out of the way as the bolt hit him instead.  
  
"Robin!" Star screamed as Robin fell to floor completely still.  
  
"No!" Beast Boy screamed as he landed on the floor next to Robin, "You weren't supposed to..." He slammed his fist into the ground again and again. Star let out a tiny sob, her heart freezing over.  
  
"Robin... Robin... Robin..." She sobbed, rocking herself back and forth, her arms clenched protectively around herself.  
  
"No! You can't do this to us! This isn't right!" Beast Boy continued slamming his hands into the floor over and over again, ignoring the pain when they began to bleed.  
  
_My friends..._ Star's mind buzzed helplessly. _He's going to kill us all..._  
  
OOOOO  
  
What's going on? _I looked around quickly._ The gym? How did I get here? We were fighting Nightmare... How did this happen? His staff! That must have been... _The memory seemed fuzzy. Just out of reach, but there non-the-less. But the more I seemed to think about it, the fainter it became.  
_  
_An explosion interrupted his thoughts.  
_  
_"Robin!"_ Star? _"They're attacking! There's too many! You have to come!"  
_  
_Without a second thought I raced from the room, bolting through the corridors to reach the others in time. I was stopped at the end of the corridor by a familiar sight.  
  
"Slade!"  
  
"Of course Robin. Who did you expect?" I settled into a crouch, ready to fight. Slade did the same, we circled each other, but a scream from the other room cut through my concentration.  
  
"Star!"  
  
"Forget them Robin, you have bigger problems." Slade aimed a kick at my head, I ducked and feinted to the left, going right instead. I thrust my fist into the brief opening Slade left in his defense. My fist was stopped as Slade blocked, throwing me against the wall.  
  
"Oof!" I slid to the floor with the wind knocked out of me. I clutched my aching ribs, pulling myself to my feet, barely avoiding the punishing kick that was meant for my head.  
  
Blocking out everything except Slade, I bounced on the balls of my feet, centering myself to fight. I struck out while he was off balance from the missed kick, catching him squarely in the stomach and forcing him back against the wall. I hurried to follow up the initial attack, charging straight into the wall as Slade flipped over my head.  
  
"Give up Robin. You're obviously no match for me."  
  
"Wanna' bet?" I growled, spinning around to block his punch, but catching his knee directly in my stomach.  
  
"Oh Robin... Everything would be so much easier if you would just give up," Slade said, pulling my head back by my hair, "But I do so admire your determination. Quite a bit like me actually."  
  
With a barely controlled growl, my feet connected with Slade's stomach, throwing him off me.  
  
"I'm nothing like you!"  
  
"Oh Robin. You need to stop fooling yourself like this. You must have seen at least a few similarities. I even dare say more than a few."  
  
"Stop talking! Just stop!"  
  
"Oh poor Robin. Is it the fact you know I'm right or that fact that you're wrong that hurts you more? Always the hero, always so good, so righteous..."  
  
"Stop it!" I slammed my fist into Slade's stomach before he could react, driving my other hand in a split second later.  
  
With a barrage of punches, I forced him back, he feebly trying to defend himself.  
  
I forced him onto the ground, drawing my Bird-A-Rang out of my belt as I did.  
  
Amazingly, Slade began to laugh, holding his stomach as he did so.  
  
"Very good Robin. Your anger makes you stronger I see. But I'm afraid we will have to cut this little adventure short."  
  
"And why is that?" I ask threateningly, putting more of my weight on Slade's chest.  
  
"Because," He said, barking out a laugh, "Your friends need you."  
  
I froze._ Oh god. _The screams had stopped some time ago. I had just been too focused to realize it.  
  
"No!" Horrified I took off down the hall, listening to Slade's echoing laughter.  
_  
_I desperately tried to open the automatic door to the common room with no success. I drew a device out of my belt and attached it to the door, running around the corner for cover as the door was blasted open. Not even waiting for the dust to settle, I rushed into the room.  
  
"Oh god!" The words escaped before I could prevent them. Cyborg's legs protruded from the wall, presumably from him entering it at high speed. Raven lay on the floor in a puddle of silvery blood, her body and face covered by her cloak. Beast Boy lay in the corner of the room, numerous fatal gouges scoring the flanks of his lion form. And Star...  
  
"Oh god! Starfire!" I ran to her, gently propping her up against me as I brushed her hair away from her face. She was burned severely, her blood mixing with the ash on her body. Her eyes cracked open slightly.  
  
"Robin...?" Her voice cracked and broke as if it was hard for her to speak.  
_  
_"Star... Oh god... What happened?"  
  
"I called you... But you didn't come... And then they came and... Raven was screaming so loud... And Cyborg saved me... But they killed him... And Beast Boy was trying so hard to defend us... And you weren't there..." She took a deep breath, "Why didn't you come Robin?" Her eyes fluttered close and she sighed, expelling the last of the air from her lungs.  
  
"Star? Star! No!" I hunched over her body, crying desperately, her last words echoing in my ears...  
_  
OOOOO 


	5. Betrayal

Chapter 5  
  
Beast Boy stood, his face streaked with tears, blood running down his hands. "Monster." His eyes glittered with hate, his body tense with suppressed fury.  
  
Star remained frozen on the floor. She managed to quiet the hysterical laugh building in her throat. _Look, look... They're all gone... They all left..._  
  
Beast Boy shook with anger. "Look what you've done you screwed up monster." He slowly, made a large gesture, taking in each of his friends as he did so. "You've ruined their lives. You've ruined our lives... How do you live with yourself?"  
  
"Live? I do not live. When I was your age I had no friends. No one to help me deal with my abusive father, my drunk mother. No one. I was alone. I stood on my own two feet, made my way in the world. Your friends pathetic fears are of no consequences to me. My life has been one long nightmare and I can never wake up."  
  
"Then let us help you." Star whispered, raising her head from her arms, "Free our friends. You must understand at least a little of what we feel for them."  
  
"I never knew what it was like to have friends. Why should I care about yours?" His normally calm face was contorted with rage.  
  
"You are a monster than..." Star whispered, "How could you not know joy, happiness, the feelings we carry within ourselves. The feelings you are destroying by doing what you are."  
  
Without warning Beast Boy made a grab for the cane, desperately grappling with the older man, until he was tripped. The man leveled the staff at him, sending a blast of black energy at him. Beast Boy twitched, then lay still.  
  
"I should have ended this some time ago." He muttered to himself. Advancing on Starfire he sneered. "You're the last one my dear. Time to go bye-bye."  
  
OOOOO  
  
_"Beast Boy! Wake up!" Someone was shaking me. Sleepily I opened my eyes.  
  
"What-? Terra?!"  
  
"Of course silly! You fell asleep on the couch, so I thought-"  
  
"Get away from me! You're not supposed to be here, you're... you're..."  
  
She took a smile step toward him, "Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."  
  
"But you, you're..."  
  
"Maybe I should go for a bit... I just thought you might want to volleyball at the beach with me and the other Titans..." She turned and walked out the door.  
  
"Wait Terra!" I scrambled to catch up with her.  
  
"Oh, then you are coming?"  
  
"Yeah..." I breathed, just watching her for a moment.  
  
"What?" She murmured self-consciously, "Do I have something in my hair?"  
  
"It's nothing,"_ Terra. Here. Alive. But how?  
  
_Our communicators crackled, "Terra, you get Beast Boy yet?"  
  
"Come on, we better go before they leave without us." She grabbed my arm and yanked me out the door. I followed without a second thought.  
  
"Glorious!" Starfire exclaimed happily as she caught sight of Terra and I, "We shall all go and roast in the sun like little hot-dogs!"  
  
Raven sighed, coming around the side of the 'T' Car which had been filled to the brim with beach equipment. "It's called tanning Star. I am not a hot- dog."  
  
"Of course friend Raven!" Star exclaimed, giving her a huge smile, her enthusiasm not dimmed in the slightest.  
  
"Are we going?" Robin grumbled from the front seat, "With all these delays we won't have time for the beach." Everyone ignored him, but never-the-less began climbing into their spots in the vehicle.  
  
I settled myself beside Terra and Starfire, watching uneasily as the scenery flew past us on our way to the beach._ What is going on? The last thing I remember is... is... someone... hitting me? No... that isn't it... Then what happened? Was I dreaming?  
  
_"Beast Boy! You gonna' get out of the car or sit in there all afternoon?"  
  
I mentally shook myself. _We're here?  
  
_"Come on silly!" Terra grabbed my arm and hauled me out of the vehicle, "You're on Raven and my team!"  
  
"Raven's playing? But she never..." I trailed off, "Never mind."  
  
I ran out onto the sand, Terra tugging me the whole way. We positioned ourselves and the game began. Star served the ball, shooting it high into the air. Raven flew up to spike it back. Robin dived, shooting it over the net once again.  
  
"Hiya!" Terra smacked it hard, forcing Cyborg to back up to return the ball.  
  
"Got it!" He called as the ball flew down to him. A laser shot blasted through the ball, throwing it into the water.  
  
"What the-?" Cyborg turned, just as another shot caught him in the chest, "Oof!" He went down in the sand.  
_  
_"Cyborg!" Star gasped, as a shot took her down too. She fell out of the air, landing a few feet from Cyborg.  
  
"Star!" Robin ran toward her, caught in the back by the third shot.  
  
I whipped around, desperate to find who was doing this.  
  
"Slade!" I cried out as he leveled the gun at me. I transformed into a bird, winging my way into the air seconds before the blast shattered the sand I was standing on.  
_  
Terra! We have to get the others out of here! _I called, looking for her desperately.  
  
Her laughter broke into my thoughts.  
  
"Why? Why when I worked so hard to get you all here?"  
_  
You... What?  
  
_"I betrayed you, you stupid bird. I was always working for Slade."  
_  
No! Why would you-? _I fell back to the sand, too stunned to fly any longer.  
_  
_"You didn't think I could did you? That was always your problem. Always underestimating me... Bye-bye Beast Boy."  
  
Slade leveled the gun at my head, ignoring my pitiful pleas for Terra to help me, help us all.  
_  
OOOOO 


	6. Awakening

Chapter 6  
  
Star looked up at the old man, her normally vibrant eyes dimmed, "Go ahead. I have nothing worth living for anyway. My friends are as good as dead, you have destroyed all that I ever cared for. You would only be doing me a mercy." She stood slowly and let her arms drop to her sides. Her hair formed a curtain in front of her face, her head lowered.  
  
"I suppose I could let you live, just to wallow in your own pity, but it seems rather a messy situation to leave something unfinished." He leveled the cane at her. She didn't even make a move to escape. "Goodbye Titan."  
  
He shot her point-blank, the black surging into her, causing her whole body to tense with the shock. She let out a teeny gasp, then her body relaxed, dropping her to her knees. The old man's laugh was cut off by a brutal hacking cough. His body shook feebly, but he stopped at the sudden movement.  
  
Shakily, Star rose to her feet. The man's eyes bulged and he made a strangled noise, "How-?! How-?!"  
  
He shot her again, forcing her to her knees, but again she stood, walking slowly but surely toward him.  
  
"How are you doing this?!" He screamed in fury, like a child who has lost his favorite toy. He backed up into the wall as she came closer, "Why does my staff not affect you?!"  
  
Starfire walked closer, one tiny, pain-filled step at a time, "Do you want to know what my worst fear is?" She whispered, her voice cracked and broken.  
  
Mutely Nightmare watched in terror as she stepped up directly in front of him.  
  
"Do you want to know?"  
  
Shivering he refused to respond. Starfire didn't even bother waiting for an answer. She looked up, her eyes dim and her face expressionless.  
  
"I'm living it."  
  
He shuddered at her expression as she slammed her hand into the wall near his head, cracking the surface deeply and leaving the impression of her hand in the metal.  
  
"Losing my friends is my worst fear. And you have already accomplished that. What else have I to be afraid of?"  
  
He was stuttering now, muttering to himself as he cowered in front of her. She reached out and snagged his staff from him. He grabbed onto the wall to keep from falling, his eyes wide with terror.  
  
Slowly, she leveled the staff at him, "What are you most afraid of Nightmare?" She whispered. Before the surge of black hit him directly in the chest.  
  
Screaming, he fell to the floor and lay still. Starfire shuddered, holding the staff out away from her as if she couldn't bear to have it near her.  
  
_Hold on... Just a little longer..._ Too weak to even cry now, she walked over to her friends. _Please let this help..._ Slowly, she slid down onto the ground in the center of the motionless Titans. _Just one... You can manage one... You have to save the others..._ Weakly, she raised her hand, a shimmering starbolt encompassing her fist. She tossed the staff into the air, watching it spin end over end. As it was about to hit the floor, she launched the starbolt at it, shattering the glass orb.  
  
The black cloud grew, spiraling into a swirling mass that enclosed everything. Starfire struggled to stay conscious as the cloud spiraled back into itself, growing smaller and smaller until it disappeared completely.  
  
_It's done..._ She shuddered, fighting the wave of exhaustion that threatened to overcome her. She had to see if her friends were all right. Crawling over to Robin, she laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. He opened his eyes, slowly bringing her into focus.  
  
"Star?" He whispered, his voice disbelieving. Mutely, she nodded. "What happened? Where's Nightmare?"  
  
She ignored him. "We have to make sure the others are all right."  
  
Nodding, he stood and made his way toward Cyborg. She continued to crawl, easing her way over to Raven. One by one they woke the other Titans.  
  
Each needed a few moments to reassure themselves that the others were indeed real and alive. Tears were shed, hugs were exchanged, a few mute apologies were made.  
  
But nothing could repair the horrors each of them had encountered. Facing their darkest fears had taken a toll on them none had anticipated. For many nights after, many of them would awake, screaming from dreams more horrible than you can imagine.  
  
"What happened to Nightmare?" Beast Boy finally asked, managing to free himself from Cyborg's exuberant hug.  
  
Starfire pointed, weakly extending her hand towards the corner of the vault. Robin immediately helped her to stand, murmuring gentle words of encouragement to her as he did so.  
  
All of them looked in the direction Star had indicated.  
  
"What happened?" Cyborg asked seeing Nightmare.  
  
The old man was curled into a ball in the corner, humming to himself and rocking back and forth. His eyes were blank, sweat ran down his face into his collar. His eyes darted back and forth as he rocked, his humming growing increasingly desperate.  
  
"His mind..." Beast Boy whispered, helping Raven off the floor.  
  
"Destroyed." She confirmed, "Whatever happened to him knocked him for a loop. Permanently."  
  
Questioningly, every Titan looked toward Starfire seeking an answer to their unasked questions. She looked away, ducking her head to avoid their searching eyes.  
  
"It doesn't matter." Robin told her, gently guiding her to the door. "No one wants to talk about this mission right now. Maybe not ever."  
  
OOOOO  
  
_It's so dark. Where am I? There's no sound. No light. I'm alone. Completely alone. The darkness, is it tightening? Coming closer? What's that?! Nothing... Nothing... It's just your imagination.  
  
"Hello? Anyone there?" The darkness swallowed my words the moment they were issued from my mouth. So quiet. Too quiet...  
  
"Can anyone hear me?! Help me! Help!"  
  
I sink to my knees, pulling them up to my chest. I'm alone._ **Completely alone.**

OOOOO

**Author's Note: **Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed my newest adventure with the Teen Titans. Don't worry though. This story may be over, but the adventures will never end. Look for my next story sometime soon. Thanks to everyone who sent me reviews during the writing. It's nice to know someone cares! Thanks to all! MysteryMaiden7


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